I'll be more interested when they find out how to print bullets. Till then they don't change much in the countries with outlawed guns.

I mean there is no place you could look this info up along with exact directions on how they're assembled , also it's not like people in huts in Afghanistan make their own AKs or anything just by carving wood and blacksmithing

As advanced a weapon people think the Assault Rifle is compared to all the other stuff humanity has been using for the past 10 millennia it is kind of disconcerting that the most popular model could be made in the same smiths that produced those first swords. Probably why it's so popular.

I'll be more interested when they find out how to print bullets. Till then they don't change much in the countries with outlawed guns.

Likely to happen anyway unfortunately, but a shame he did not spend his efforts designing water pump parts for the poorer regions of the world instead of weapons to kill people.

Hmm, must be a wise choice to invest in internet in the central American states.

"Hey Billy, can ya download a new gun for ol daddy here. I'm tired of the old rifle"

I fail at writing in redneckish.

Zombie invasion prep hint #4: Don't forget that old car batteries are a great source for pounds and pounds of lead.

Top comment on the BBC article,

Impressive, but I'd be scared to shoot a gun made out of plastic.

If you're scared of Nerf guns, then maybe you should be playing Hello Kitty Online instead?

Or a disc gun loaded with dimes

Those were some brutal wars back in the day. Broken skin and dimes in the drywall as far as the eye could see.

I think the big take-away is that we're one step closer to death by gray goo.

Also, you may want to sell any interests you own in miniatures, dolls, action figures, and/or plastic toys in general. And I think we're going to see legislature that really cracks down on the sales of 3D printers along with severe new IP laws (to prevent people from making their own unlicensed parts, toys, etc..) when bans on 3D printers become too difficult to enforce.

Finally, what's scarier: people printing their own guns, or people printing their own car parts (of indeterminate quality) on the cheap...?

Jewelers are already scared. They can be made obsolete by 3D printers. Fine metalworking and hand-sculpting wax models to make molds for casting-- easily replaced by a guy with a 3D design app and a 3D printer. That's one of those old apprentice to journeyman to master craftsman occupations. Kind of sad to see it go.

I don't think there will ever truly be a one tool fits all application for metal based production. For a car alone I can think of probably a dozen different machines that need to be used.

Game's workshops also bricking it. But the real potential for economic pain is Ford, GM, Volkswagen and Toyota. A Garage could have a 3d Printer in the back and print out replacement parts for a private inventory. A hobbyist or a competent Mechanic could print an entire car and not need to pay anything but the material costs. I bet when metal based ones of sufficient quanity start coming near commercialised there will be open source car designs.

Gene Roddenberry would be so proud.

Well we work better in office scenarios from what I understand, so there will still be that. Telepresence has only gotten us so far, and Skype is an adhoc arrangement but personal contact is preferable if available.

Jewelers are already scared. They can be made obsolete by 3D printers. Fine metalworking and hand-sculpting wax models to make molds for casting-- easily replaced by a guy with a 3D design app and a 3D printer. That's one of those old apprentice to journeyman to master craftsman occupations. Kind of sad to see it go.

I bet when metal based ones of sufficient quanity start coming near commercialised there will be open source car designs.

Don't worry, the 3d printer is one step closer to becoming a replicator. A painstakingly slow replicator.

Of course the ultimate application will be to make better, more detailed, less blobby D&D miniatures! Actually it's probably the Napoleonic miniatures that could use more help in this area.

Of course the ultimate application will be to make better, more detailed, less blobby D&D miniatures! Actually it's probably the Napoleonic miniatures that could use more help in this area.

I always knew Communism and Capitalism would eventually become indistinguishable. Already have socialised healthcare, education and water, bring on the rest.

In what way is that the merger of communism and capitalism? Socialized tax-funded healthcare, education, and utilities are anathema to voluntary exchange and have nothing to do with capitalism.

Of course the ultimate application will be to make better, more detailed, less blobby D&D miniatures! Actually it's probably the Napoleonic miniatures that could use more help in this area.